Print washer



Feb. 24, 1925. 1,527,308

J. c. KAU'rz PRINT WASHER Filed July 2S, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnou/H05JMZf aum up in the tank. `to provide novel means for rotating thePatented F eb. 24, 1925.

JOHN C. K AUTZ, 0F NEBRASKA CITY, NEBRASKA.

PRINT WASHER.

4Application led July 26,

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. KAUTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nebraska City, in the county of Otoe and State of Nebraska,have invented a new and useful Print l/Vasher, of which the following isa specification.

rThis invention aims to provide a simple means whereby photographicprints may be washed, the washingwater in the tank being used as a meansfor rotating a print carrier The invention aims, further print carrierand for moving the print carrier into aninoperative position.

1t is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and toenhance the utility of devices of that type to which the inventionappertains.

TWith the above and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that, within the scope ot'what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the inventionshown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows in side elevation a device constructed in accordance withthe invention; Figure 2 is an end elevation wherein parts are brokenaway; Figure 3 is a plan view of the spray head and the water supplypipe; Figure 4 is a sectional view showing afportion of thedrivingmechanism; Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section whereinparts remain in elevation; Figure 6 is a sectional view showing aportion of the water wheel; vFigure 7 is a transverse section whereinparts are omitted; Figure 8 is a detail showing one of the pipeconnections; Figure 9 is a` plan showing a connection which maybeinterposed in the water supply pipe, if desired.

The print washer forming the subject matter of this application embodiesa supporting the frame carrying a tank 2 which is open at the top, thebottom of the tank being curved as shown in Figure 7. A bail-shapedlever 3 is provided and `includes side arms 4 or' angular form, the sidearms extending downwardly `into the tank. Near the angles 5 of the sidearms of the lever, theside arms 23 with the strip 18 of the traine 1 ofany vdesired construction,

1923. Serial No. 653,959.

are equipped with downwardly` and forwardly inclined slots 6. The rearends of the side arms 4 of the lever 3 are fulcrumed at 7 on t-hebrackets 8 carried by the :trame 17 the forward portions of the sidearms of the lever resting on the front wall of the tank 2, as shown inFigure 7 and extending outwardly beyond the forward wall of the tank, sothat the lever may be manipulated readily.

A print. carrier 9 in the form of a drum is located within the tank 2,and comprises a foraminous body 10 provided with bands 11 and 12 whichare joined to the end walls 14 of the tank, the bands 11 and 12 beingsupplied with outstanding' ianges 15, and the band 11 being designatedby a separate numeral, because in addition to serving as a reinforcementfor the drum 9, it constitutes, also, a portion of the mechanism wherebythe drum is rotated. The end walls 14 of the drum 9 are supplied withperforation's 16. The end walls 14 of the drum 9 carry stub shafts 17mounted to r0- tate in the bearing slots 6 of the side arms 4 of thelever 3, and, when the part-s are arranged as shown in Figure 7, theshafts 17 of the drum tend to move by gravity toward the lower forwardends of the Slots 6, so that the drum 9 is centered properly withrespect to the tank .2, the angular arms 4 of the lever 3 permitting thedrum 9 to extend well down into the Ytank 2. Cross strips 18 and 19extend between the end bands 11 and 12 of the drum and are connected tothe foraminous body 10. A foraminous closure 20 is provided and includesvtransverse parts 21 and 22, the bar 21 of the closure being united byhinges drum, and the bar 22 of the closure being united detach- 'ably bylatches 24 with the cross strip 19 on the drum. The closure 20,obviously may be opened to permit the introduction of the prints whichare to be washed, into the carrier or drum 9, and to permit the washedprints to be removed from the drum. vWith this observation, the closure20 will be dismissed from further consideration.

Along one end wall of the tank 2 extends a substantially verticalconduit 25 (Figures 2 and 5), there being an opening 26 (F igure 5) inthe adjacent end wall of the tank 2, this opening being located close tothe bottom of the tank. The conduit 25 carries a spout 27 the spoutextending outwardly, as in Figure 5 and being inclined downwardly andextended laterally as shown in Figure 2.

The spout 27 discharges into the buckets 28 of an overshot water wheel29 of liberal diameter, the wheel 29 extending downwardly into areceiving pan 30, mounted on one end of the tank 2 and carrying upon itsouter wall, a bearing 31. The shaft 32 of the 'water wheel 29 isjournaled in the bearing 31 and in the inner wall of the receiving pan30. A drain 33 extends laterally from the lower portion of the receivingpan 30, and is supported on frame 1, as indicated in Figure 5. The drain33 has an upstanding branch 34, connected to the bottom of the tank 2,as depicted in Figure 8, a stopper 35 being threaded or mountedotherwise in the upper end of the branch 34.

ln Figure 2, the numeral 36 designates, generally, a bearing which issecured to one end wall of the tank 2, the bearing embodying anupstanding inner arm 37 and an upstanding outer arm 38, which are shownVin Figures 1 and 4. A hollow shaftl 39 is mounted for rotation in thearm 38 of the bearing 36 and is permitted to have a slight verticalmovement therein, fora purpose which will be set forth hereinafter. Asolid shaft 40 is mounted for longitudinal adjustment in the hollowshaft 39, and the parts 39 and 40, taken together may be alluded to as alongitudinally extensible shaft. The shaft 49 carries a cross pin 41received in elongated slots 42 fashioned in the shaft 39, the functionof the pin being to connect the shafts 39 and 40 for longitudinalrotation, and, at the same time, permitting a telescoping of the shafts39 and 40. shaft. 40 is permitted to have some vertical iovement in avertically elongated slot 43 formed in the arm 37 of the bearing 36. Aheavy friction wheel 44 is securedto the inner end of the shaft 40 andis provided with a tread 45. made of rubber or other suitable material,and adapted to bear on the band or track 11 of the drum 9, inside of theflange 15 of the part 11, as shown clearly in Figures 5 and t 1. Asprocket wheel 46 is secured at 47 -to the shaft 39, inwardly of the arm38 of the bearing 36. A sprocket wheel 48 is secured at 49 to the shaft32 of the water wheel 29. About the sprocket wheels 4G and 48 a sprocketchain 50 is trained.

The means for discharging the washing water into the drum 9 and into thetank 2 may be of any desired sort. For instance, recourse may be had toa horizontal pipe 51, carrying a spray head 52 extended longitudinallyof the drum 9,the spray head having perforations 53. If desired, acoupling 54 may be interposed in the-pipe 51 as shown the The

in Figure 9, the construction being such that the spray head 52 and theadjacent portion of the pipe 51 may be swung vertically, for a purposeto be explained hereinafter. It may be desirable to support thc sprayhead 52 in a horizontal position, through the instrumentality of abracket 55, extended beneath the pipe 51, as shown in Figures 7 and 3.

)Vater is supplied to the tank 2 through the spray head 52, the waterbeing discharged into the foraminous drum 9. The water, rising in thetank 2, passes through the opening 2G and through the conduit 25, thewater being discharged by way of the spout 27 on the wheel 29, 'androtation being impaited to the drum 9 through a train of elementscomprising the shaft 32, the sprocket wheel 48, the sprocket chain 50,the sprocket wheel 46, the longitudinally extensible shaft 35)- 40, thefriction wheel 44-45 and the annular track or wheel 11 of the drum 9.l/Vhen the drum is rotated, as aforesaid, the prints within the drumwill be agitated in the water which the tank 2 contains. Because theopening 26 is located closely adjacent to the bottom of the drum 2, asshown in Figure 5, the chemicals washed from the prints and moving tothe bottoni of the tank 2 will be drawn away and the prints always willmove to a clean body of water. The water in the buckets 28 of theovershot wheel 29 is discharged into the receiving pan 30 and flows awaythrough the drain When it is desirable to draw oli' the contents of thetank 2 completely, the plug 35 (Figure 8) may be removed, and,thereupon, the contents of the tank will passl through the branch 34into the pipe 33.

When it is desired to take the prints out oi' the drum 9, the shaft40-39 is swung upwardly in the members 37 and 38 of the bearing 36 andthe shaft 40 is slid to the right, in Figure 4, into the shaft 39, untilthe friction wheel 44--45 is clear of the part 11 of the drum 9. If thepipe 51 and the spray head 52 happen to be fixed, the machine may bepulled to the left (Figure 2) until it is well clear of the spray head52. lf, however, the pipe 51 is provided'with the connection 54, shownin vFigure 9, thepipe may be swung vertically oft the support or bracket55 until it is out of the way of the drum 9. Then, the lever 3 may beswung upwardly and backwardly to the right (Figure 7), thereby raisingthe drum 9 out of the tank 2 and permitting the washed prints to beremoved from the drum, when the closure 20 of the drum is opened.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, a tank, a water wheel whereintothe tank "discharges,- a print carrier supported for rotation in thetank, a shaft supported for rotation, a Wheel on the shaft andcooperating with the carrier to impart rotation thereto, and means forconnecting the shaft with the Water Wheel.

2. In a device of the class described, a tank, a print carrier rotatablein the tank, means for mounting the carrier for raising and lowering, aWater Wheel Whereinto the tank discharges and means for driving thecarrier from the Water Wheel, a portion of said means being movable topermit a raising and lowering of the carrier.

3. In a device of the class described, a tank, a lever mounted forswinging movement with respect to the tank, a print carrier rotatable inthe lever and extended into the tank, the lever constituting means forraising and lowering the carrier, a water Wheel Whereinto the tankdischarges, and means for driving the carrier from the Water Wheel, aportion of said means being movable to permit a raising and lowering ofthe carrier through the instrumentality of the lever.

4. In a device of the class described, a tank, a print carrier rotatablein the tank, means for mounting the carrier for raising and loWerinO' aWater Wheel Whereinto the 7 tank discharbges, a shaft supported forrotation, means for connecting the shaft operatively With the WaterWheel, and a Wheel on the shaft and coacting with the carrier to impartrotation to the carrier, the shaft being longitudinally adjustable topermit the Wheel to be moved into and out of engagement mwith thecarrier.

5. In a device of the class described, a tank, a lever mounted forswinging movement with respect to the tank, a vprint carrier rotatablein the lever and extended into the tank, a lever constituting means forraising and lowering the carrier, a Water Wheel Whereinto the tankdischarges, a shaft supported for rotation, means for connecting theshaft operatively with the Water Wheel, and a Wheel on the shaft andcoacting With the carrier, the shaft being longitudinally extensible topermit the Wheel to be moved into and out of engagement with thecarrier, thereby permitting the carrier to be raised and lowered throughthe instrumentality of the lever.

6. In a device of the class described, a tank, a lever mounted forswinging movement With respect to the tank, a print carrier rotatable inthe lever and extended into the tank, the lever constituting means forraising and lowering the carrier, a Water Wheel supported for rotation,a conduit communicating at its lower end With the tank at a pointadjacent to the bottom of the tank, and discharging into the Water wheelat a point adjacent to the upper end of the tank, a shaft supported forrotation, a Wheel on the shaft and cooperating with the carrier, andmeans for connecting the shaft operatively with the Water Wheel, theshaft being longitudinally adjustable to permit the Wheel to be movedout of engagement with the carrier, thereby permitting the carrier to beraised through the instrumentality of the lever.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixedmy signature in the presence of tvvo Witnesses.

JOHN C. KAUTZ. IVitnesses:

JIM G. WILsoN. EDWIN MORAN.

